Burwood Primary School | Learning from the Past

Ballyshanassy School (SS461) opened at 172 Burwood Highway in 1865. It became a State School after the passing of the Education Act 1872 and was renamed Burwood in 1879. Many distinctive additions were made to the original brick building over the years, as reflected in its listing on the Victorian Heritage Register. Enrolments peaked at 590 in 1954, then gradually declined: around 400 in 1968, around 300 in 1971, around 200 in 1977, and under 100 by 1986. Demographic change in the district continued such that by 1989 the school requested closure at the end of the year. While most of the site became a housing estate, the heritage buildings and hall were used by various community groups for many years. These buildings were resold in 2013 ($2.398m) and by 2018 were being converted into a new Greenland Early Learning Centre.